Idol Manager sounds like a pervy fan service-focused thing, but it’s actually quite a genuine simulation, dealing with the incredibly complex world of Japan’s idol industry. From dealing with the dynamics and personal relationships between group members, to managing the girls so that none of them gets burned out, organising for them to be on television and radio, and recording new music and albums, there’s a lot to juggle to maintain a healthy business.
I really liked Idol Manager on its PC release (for some reason the move to the new website design seems to have deleted that review, but I did give it a positive review as you can see on Metacritic). Now the developer and publisher have announced that it will be coming to console, with Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5 versions landing on August 25. There will even be a retail edition, though no word on whether that will be exclusive to Japan or get a broader release.
I’ll be double-dipping for the Switch version of this for sure.
